Beeeoh loading cannon



(No Model.) i 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

I J. B. G. A. CANET.

BREEGH LOADING CANNON. No. 424,378. Patented Mar. 25, 1 890.-

N. FETERS, mmutho n har. Wa-hingkou. 17.0.

(No Model.)- 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

-J. B. G. A. GANET.- BREEOH LOADING CANNON.

No. 424378. Patented'Mar. '25, 1890.-

N. PETERS. mo-ljlhcgrlpiwr..will ingmm D. O

(No Model.) i

J. B. G. A. (JANET. BREEGH LOADING CANNON.

No. 424,378. Patented Mar. 25, 1890-.

n. PEXERS. PhemLithngnpher, Washington. a. z;

5 Sheets- Sheet 3 (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. B. GPA. OANET. BREEOH LOADING CANNON.

No. 424,378. Patented Mar. 25, 1890.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.) J. B. G. A. GANET.

BREEOH LOADING CANNON. v No. 424,378. I Patented Mar. 25, 1890.

N. PETERS. Pnewumo n nar, wamln mn. D. c.

iArENr FFIQEe JEAN BAPTISTE GUSTAVE ADOLPHE OANET, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO SIR JOSEPH VHITWVORTH & COMPANY, (LIMITED,) OF OPENSHAVV,

ENGLAND.

IBREECH-LOADING CANNON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,378 dated March 25, 1890.

Application filed February '7, 1889. Serial No. 299,006. (No model.) Patented in France June 20, 1887, No. 173,544.

To (0% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEAN BAPTISTE Gus- TAVE ADOLPHE CANET, engineer, a citizen of the Republic of France, and a resident of Paris, France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Breech-Loading Cannon, (for which I have obtained a patent in France, Certificate of Addition ITO. 173,544, dated J une 20, 1887,) of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to breech-loading ordnance, and comprises the combination, with the breech-screw and a movable head and stem fitted therein, of a bar of peculiar construction,which carries the firing-hammer and is arranged to slide transversely to the axis of the breech-screw, as hereinafter explained.

My said invention also comprises other improvements in the breech mechanism, as here inafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawingsl have shown how my said invention may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal central section, and Fig. 2 a rear elevation, of the breech end of a gun having my present improvements applied thereto, the parts being shown in the positions which they occupy when the breech-screw has been turned about its axis to disengage it from the screw-thread in the breech. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line a; 00, Fig. 2. Fig 4 is a rear elevation partlyin vertical section; Fig. 5 an under side view and Fig. 6, a horizontal central section, all drawn to an enlarged scale, showing details of construction.

A is the breech of the gun.

B is the breech-screw, which is provided with an interrupted screw-thread.

C is a disk or head, which is provided with a rod or stem formed in two parts 0 O and fitted in a central recess or cavity provided for the purpose in the breech-screw B, so that it is movable longitudinally therein, and the said head and stem can change their position according to the thickness and degree of compression of the obturator. The part 0 of the stem has in its rear extremity a chamber a for the fuse or primer.

arrangement is shown more clearly in Figs.

.ing the action of the hammer until the trig- D D indicate the sliding bar, which is formed in two parts. The part D thereof is fitted to slide in a radial groove 1) in the rear end of the breech-screw, and is provided with a stud or projection c, which works in a circular groove (1 in a piece cl, firmly attached to the breech end of the gun. The part D is, moreover, provided with a projection or handle D whereby it may be moved by hand. The other part D of the said sliding bar is attached to the part D thereof by means of a T-shaped piece e, formed on the part D, and fitted to slide in guides f formed on the part D, so that the part D, although movable with the head 0 and stem 0 0 must participate in the longitudinal movement of the part D. The part D is secured to the stem 0 bya sleeve 9 fitted upon the said stem and secured thereon by means of a nut h countersunk in the said sleeve. The said part D of the sliding bar is fitted to slide transversely to the axis of the breech-screw between suitable guides formed on the said sleeve g.

The part D of the sliding bar carries the firing-pin or striker j, and the part D thereof carries the firing-hammer k, which is pivoted thereto at and is provided near its pivot with a roller Z, against which bears a rod m, acted upon by a spring m, which is inclosed in a casing m formed on the part D. This 3, 4, 5, and 6. The hammer is is so formed that it can be readily cooked by hand.

n is a bent lover or sear, which is pivoted at 'n to the part D of the sliding bar, and is provided with an arm 0. This arm serves as the trigger, and has a ring or eye for the attachment of the firing-cord. The arm n of the sear a is adapted to enter a lateral recess or notch 19 in the boss of the hammer, as shown in Fig. 4, when the said hammer is raised or cooked. The said arm n is, moreover, acted upon by a spring a whichretains it in the said recess or notch 19, thus preventger is pulled to disengage the sear therefrom. The searn is so arranged that should the hammer fall without the firing-cord being pulled, a projection 70 on the said hammer will come in contact with the said sear n, and

the hammer will thus have its movement arrested before it strikes the firing-pin j. Therefore the gun can only be discharged by pulling the firing-cord, and thus moving the sear out of the path of the hammer and permitting the striking of the firing-pin thereby. A projection g on the sear prevents any movement of the trigger so long as the slidlng bar is not in the proper position for the discharge of the gun, in which position only the said projection q will be opposite a groove or notch provided for the purpose in the side of the groove Z) in the breech-screw, so that the trigger may act to release the hammer and allow it to fall upon the firing-pin. The groove (1 is formed with an enlarged part (1 so that when the breech is closed the sliding bar can be moved either upward to permit the extraction of an empty primer-case, or downward to bring the firing-pin in line with the prim er. The lower side of the said groove is made with an inclined or curved surface.

(1?, which, when the breech-screw is turned to disengage it from the screw-thread in the breech, moves the sliding bar upward, and thus brings the firing-pin out of line with the primer. Therefore the gun can only be discharged when the breech is completely closed and the sliding bar moved down.

- I sometimes form the nut g in two parts, which are formed with gooves and which clamp the extremity of the movable stem 0' 0 In this case the said stem is introduced from the exterior and the disk screwed upon it. The result of this arrangement is that the portion of the sliding bar mounted upon the said movable stem, while capable of participating in the movements of the said stem (the position of which varies, as above stated, according to the thickness and degree of compression of the obturator) remains in engagement with the part of the said sliding bar carrying the firing and safety mechanism.

It is obvious that I can, if desired, somewhat further modify the construction of the mechanism without departing from the nature of my said invention.

WVhat I claim is 1. In a breech-loading gun, the combination, with the breech-screw, of a bar carried thereby and arranged to slide transversely to the axis thereof, a hammer and firing-pin carried by the said sliding bar, a projection on the said bar, a groove in the breech end of the gun, (orin a piece attached thereto,) in which the said projection moves when the breechor in the reverse direction to permit the extraction of the empty primer-case, for the purposes above specified.

2. In a breech-loading gun, the combination, with the breech-screw, the bar arranged to slide in'a transverse groove therein, and

the hammer and firing-pin carried by the said bar, of a scar also carried by the said bar for retaining the said hammer in its cocked position, a trigger for disengaging the said sear from the hammer, and an arm which is attached to the said scar and bears against one side of the said groove, and which, when the sliding bar is moved into the firing position, arrives opposite a notch or recess in the side of the said groove, thus permitting the movement of the sear by the pulling of the trigger, for the purposes above specified.

3. In a breech-loading gun, the combination, with the breech-screw and the movable head and stem fitted therein, of a sliding bar carried by the said breech-screw and formed in two parts, one of which carries the firinghammer and the other the firing-pin or striker, and which are movable together transversely to the axis of the breech-screw, the part of the sliding bar which carries the firing-pin being movable with thesaid stem relatively to the other part of the said bar, for the purposes above specified.

4. In a breech-loading gun, the combination, with the breech-screw and the movable head and stem fitted therein, of a sliding bar formed in two parts connected together and movable transverselyto the axis of the breechscrew, substantially as described, a firinghammer pivoted to one of the said parts, a firing-pin or striker carried by the other part, a sear for retaining the said hammer in its cocked position, a trigger for disengaging the said sear from the hammer, an arm attached to the said scar and bearing against one side of the groove in which the said bar slides, and a notch or recess in the side of the groove, which, when the said arm arrives opposite the same, permits the disengagement of the.

sear from the hammer, the sliding bar being provided with a projection working in a groove in the breech end of the gun and adapted to enter one or the other of two notches or recesses in the sides of the said groove when the breech is closed to permit the movement of the sliding bar'in one direction to bring the firing-pin into line with the primer .or in the reverse direction to permit the extraction of the empty primer-case, substantially as and for the purposes above specified.

5. In a breech-loading gun, the combination, with the breech-screw and the movable head and stem fitted therein, of a sliding bar formed in two parts D D, the partD of which works in a transverse, groove in the rear end of the breech-screw and the part D of which is connected with the part D and with the said movable stem and is free to move with either of them, a firing-hammer carried by the part D of the said bar, and a firing-pin or striker carried by the part D thereof, substantially as and for the purposes above specified.

6. In a breech-loading gun, the combination, with the breech-serew and the movable head and stem fitted therein, of the sliding bar formed in two parts D D, connected together and movable transversely to the axis of the breechscrew, substantially as described, and carrying the hammer and firingpin, the part D of the said bar being provided with a projection c and a groove (1 in the breech end of the gun (or in a piece attached thereto) in which the said projection moves when the breech-screw is turned about its axis, and notches or recesses in the sides of the said groove, which, when the breech is closed, permit the movement of the said sliding bar in one or the other direction, substantially as and for the purposes above specified.

'7. In a breech-loading gun, the combination, with the breech-screw B, of the movable head 0, provided with the stem formed in two parts C and fitted to slide in the breechscrew, the sleeve g, fitted in the breech-screw and secured to the said stem, and the sliding bar formed in two parts D D, connected substantially as described, the part D of the said bar being fitted to slide in a transverse groove in the breech-screw and carrying the firinghammer, and the part D of the said bar being fitted to slide between guides on the said sleeve and carrying the firing-pin or striker, substantially as and for the purposes above specified.

S. In a breech-loading gun, the combination, with the breech-screw and the movable head and stem fitted therein, of the sliding bar, consisting of the parts D D, connected substantially as described, the hammer 7c, pivoted to the part D, the rod m, carried by the said part D and acted upon by a spring and bearing against the said hammer, the firingpin or striker j, carried by the part D, and a sear n n for retaining the said hammer in its cocked position until released by the pulling of the trigger, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. In a breech-loading gun, the combination, with the breech-screw and the movable head and stem fitted therein, of the sliding bar, consisting of the parts D D, connected together and movable transversely to the axis of the breech-screw, substantially as described, the hammer is, pivoted to the part D and provided wit-h the projection and notch 13, the firing pin or striker j, carried by the part D, and the sear n n adapted to engage with the said notch in the hammer and extending into the path of the said projection k except when the trigger is pulled, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

10. In a breech-loading gun, the combination, with the breech-screw and the movable D, and a notch or recess in the breech-screw for permitting the disengagement of the said sear when, but not until, the said sliding bar is moved into the firing position, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. In a breech-loading gun, the combination, with the breech-screw and the movable head and stem fitted therein, of the sliding bar, consisting of the parts D D, connected together and movable transversely to the axis of the breech-screw, substantiallyas described, the hammer 70, pivoted to the part D and provided with the projection 70 and with the notch 19, the sear n, also pivoted to the part D and provided with the arms n 0, and q, the firing-pin j, carried by the part D, and a notch or recess in the breech-screw, opposite which the arm q will arrive when the sliding bar is moved into the firing position, so that the movement of the searby the pulling of the trigger can be effected when, but not until, the said firing-pin is in line with the fuse or primer in the gun, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

12. In a breech-loading gun, the combination, with the breech-screw and the movable head and stem fitted therein, of the sliding bar, consisting of the parts D D, the former of which is provided with the projection c, the groove d in the breech-screw in which the said projection works, the firing-hammer is, pivoted to the part D and provided with the projection 70 and notch 19, the searn, also pivoted to the said partD and provided with the arms 91 0, and q, and a notch or recess in the breech-screw for permitting the movement of the sear by the pulling of the trigger when, but not until, the said sliding bar is moved into the firing position, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

13. In a breech-loading gun, the combination, with the breech-screw, of the sliding bar D D, carried thereby and arranged to slide transversely to the axis thereof, and provided with the projection c, the hammer 7c, and firing-pin j, carried by the said sliding bar, a groove (Z at the breech end of the gun 1n which the said projection 0 moves when the breech-screw is turned about its axis, and which has an enlarged part d for allowing the sliding bar to be moved when the breech is closed to bring the firing-pin into line with the primer or .to permit the extraction of the empty primer-case, and an inclined or curved surface 01 on one side of the said groove, which, when the breech-screw is turned to disengage it from the screw-threads in the breech, automatically moves the sliding bar in such a manner as to bring the firing-pin out of line with the primer, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JEAN BAPTISTE GUSTAVE ADOLIIIE CANET.

Vitnesses:

J. L. RATHBONE, R. J. PRESTON. 

